Do you need Periscope in your life?

Unless you’ve had your head buried in the sand these past few months, you’ve probably heard of the Twitter app called Periscope, which “lets you explore the world by watching and creating live video broadcasts.” Since it seemed everyone had already created an account without me, I’ve been futzing around with it myself to see if it was worth the hoopla (because let’s face it, how many social platforms can we all actively participate on, AMIRIGHT??).

The truth of the matter is, like Pinterest, it’s another time suck but one that can be incredibly useful for your business if you find the right users to follow and if you are able to watch streams as they are happening. It is also now available for iPhone and Android but the Android glitches have not all been fixed and Droid users (like myself) may encounter some limitations in terms of app functionality.

Side note: this week Periscope announced that it will also allow users to watch replays of live streams on the web up to 24 hours after a broadcast has ended.

Recently a few of my coworkers attended a social media conference, and since I was unable to go, I streamed most of the videos that I was able to find online. It was helpful, because I was able to connect with people in attendance while also learning from the speakers as the events were happening. For this reason alone, the app is well worth the download.

With only four buttons to remember, Periscope is user friendly BUT I found it can be challenging to sift through the nonsense (i.e., a recent Twitter search for Periscope videos pulled up office shenanigans, a Walmart shopping haul, and food prep tutorial). If there’s a trending hashtag you can follow for an event or conference, it might be best to follow it on Twitter and then click through the Periscope videos that way.

Have you used Periscope before and do you find it useful for your business? You can find me at mypixieblog.

What’s on YOUR mind? Have a question you’d like to ask about social media or marketing? Email me today at charlotte@pixieconsulting.net OR leave it in the comments below!